Alternating multiagent chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer.

A chemotherapy regimen consisting of hexamethylmelamine (H) 150 mg/m2 orally days 1-14, cyclophosphamide (C) 500 mg/m2 IV day 1 of a 28-day cycle with Adriamycin (A) 40 mg/m2 IV day 1 alternating with cis-diamminechloroplatinum (C-P) 50 mg/m2 IV day 1 every other cycle was administered to 29 patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. Toxicity to this regimen included alopecia, nausea, and vomiting in all patients. Mild paresthesias occurred in four patients. Hematologic toxicity required only minimal dose modification. There was no cardiac, renal, or auditory toxicity. The clinical response rate of 55% and median survival of 14 months compare favorably with that of other reported series. This chemotherapy regimen seems to be well tolerated without jeopardizing the patients' response.